Friendly advice
by littledhampir04
Summary: What if Christian helped Adrian win Rose's heart with a little advice/plan? It's based on a song I heard called 'indifferent' [not a songfic]


_One-shot_

_This fanfic takes place when the characters were still at St. Vlad's. It's after the trip to Court but without Rhonda's prediction about Dimitri._

_..._

_So my mother forced me to hear a greek song called "Αδιάφορος" which means indifferent (aka sb who doesn't care) and Adrian came into my mind... _

_If you're not interested in the lyrics, read the fanfiction - which is based on them. _

_** The lyrics are (English translation) : I told her that she's the most beautiful women in the world and that if she stays by my side, she'll have whatever she wants. I told her how much I admire and like her, I bought her gifts but she won't fall. Tell me what to do now. **_

_**Be a little indifferent, for her to fall madly in love with you. Be a little indifferent, for her to fall madly in love with you. Make her jealous, for her to come and look for you. Tell her that she's losing you, make her die [metaphorically speaking...]**_

_**What to do, what to do, what to do, what to do? Tell me. Find me one way, I'm begging you, to make her want me like I want her. Tell me. **_

_**I told her that I'll do whatever she wants. And if she wants, I'll become a mat for her to walk on [Lmao, I don't know how to translate this phrase in English, it means I'll do whatever she wants] I've sent her flowers 100 times, I have dedicated to her all of my songs, without any outcomes. **_

_**Be a little indifferent, for her to fall madly in love with you. Be a little indifferent, for her to fall madly in love with you. Make her jealous, for her to come and look for you. Tell her that she's losing you, make her die**_

_**What to do, what to do, what to do, what to do? Tell me. Find me one way, I'm begging you, to make her want me like I want her. Tell me. **_

_**What to do, what to do, what to do, what to do? Tell me. Find me one way, I'm begging you, to make her want me like I want her. Tell me.**_

_**Be a little indifferent, for her to fall madly in love with you. Be a little indifferent, for her to fall madly in love with you.**_

_**What to do, what to do, what to do, what to do? Tell me. Find me one way, I'm begging you, to make her want me like I want her**_.

* * *

"I don't need your advice Pyro" Adrian rolled his eyes at Christian, trying to calm down.

"Well, if you hadn't followed my advice, we wouldn't be here now" Christian told him in a matter-of-factly way, smirking.

"Fuck off Ozera" Adrian told him and locked him out of his room, smiling at the memories that brought them here...

* * *

"Guys, I don't know what to do anymore!" Adrian sighed in despair. He fell into his bed, hopeless.

Everyone - that is Adrian, Lissa, Eddie and Christian - were in Adrian's room. Adrian lying on his bed, Lissa sitting next to Christian, resting her head on his shoulder, Chris just sitting there, bored and Eddie sitting on the leather sofa, trying to relax.

"What do you mean?" Lissa asked him with that calm and kind voice of her.

Adrian looked at his cousin, sighing his love's name "Rose"

"Oh..." was the only answer he got from his friends.

"What happened again?" Lissa asked, feeling sorry for her unlucky, twenty - one year old friend.

"She hates me! That happened!" he said loudly, throwing his arms into the air.

"Oh, come on now man. She doesn't hate you" Eddie tried to comfort Adrian a bit.

"Okay you're right, Rose doesn't hate me," Adrian agreed "she simply dislikes me with a passion" he added.

"And what have you done about that?" Christian asked him bored. And that, was the wrong question to ever ask Adrian, especially now.

"What have I done about that?" Adrian repeated Sparky's question almost shouting, clearly annoyed and angry. "I've sent her hundreds of flowers, I've bought her a lot of different gifts, I compliment h, show my affection to and flirt with her almost all the time!" he started yelling, feeling frustrated "I can give her whatever she wants, I can do whatever she wants. Heck; I would die for her!" he went on "And the God damned result? Fucking nothing" he finally stopped yelling.

"Adrian, Adrian calm down. You know Christian, calm down" Eddie said forcing Adrian to sit down, tapping him comfortly on his shoulder.

Lissa elbowed Christian lightly on his arm, giving him a warning glance. Christian being Christian, rolled his eyes sighing.

Lissa turned to her desperate friend "Adrian, I know you like Rose but you can't force her into something she doesn't want" she started talking with a calming and soothing voice "I want you guys to be together but even I can't tell you what to do"

"Pretend to be indifferent" Christian said while playing with Lissa's long blonde hair. Everyone turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Adrian asked him, turning to look at him.

"Pretend that you don't care that much anymore, that you can't take any more rejections" Christian explained.

"But won't that do the exact opposite of what I wanna do?" Adrian asked.

"Nope, I bet my money she'll fall for you if you do what I'm gonna say" Christian answered full with confidence.

"So what's the plan?" Lissa asked curious her icy blue eyed boyfriend.

"First, you're gonna pretend that you don't care that much anymore but still talk to her and flirt with her a bit" Ozera the Matchmaker started explaining "Then, all of a sudden, stop talking to her and ignore her. That of course will annoy her and then she'll start thinking about why she cares that you don't talk to her" Ozera went on "After that, make her jealous. I don't know how, find a girl or something, and make Rose jealous" Adrian was nodding whenever Chris made a pause, listening carefully to him for the first time. "And lastly, after a while of her being jealous, ask her why she cares or why she's jealous and press for an answer. And boom! You got the girl" Christian said having an expression on his face that said 'You didn't expect that, huh?'.

"That's actually a pretty good plan" Eddie said nodding in approval.

"Yeah" Lissa agreed.

Adrian nodded. "Fucking her up emotionally and mentally to make her realize she wants me. Oke" he said half-joking, smirking and everyone - even Christian - chuckled.

* * *

**Plan C, phase one, part one~ not so interested**

Adrian was wandering around the Academy, smoking since he was bored. With the corner of his eye, he spotted his - or more accurately, his-to-be - Little Dhampir as he exhaled some smoke.

"Hey Little Dhampir " he greeted her, smiling a bit.

She turned around and glared at him "Adrian, piss off, I'm not in the mood for your flirting" she told him angrily. Problems in the Belikov paradise, Little Dhampir? Adrian thought.

"Okay" he simply said and turned to leave "See you around, Little Dhampir" he said and left, leaving a surprised and confused Rose behind.

What was that? Rose thought confused. That was the first time Adrian left without being threatened or insulted - or even both. It was weird. Whatever, she shrugged and her thoughts returned to the argument she had with her Russian battle God...

* * *

**Plan C, phase 1, part 2 ~ still pretending to be indifferent and act a bit of distant.**

As Rose made her way to the cafeteria, she bumped into Adrian. "Morning" she said continuing walking.

"Good morning Rose" he said giving her a small smile. Not calling her Little Dhampir seemed weird to Adrian. However, Adrian wasn't the only one who found it weird. Rose founded it weird too. Especially when she remembered how he acted last time. That current behavior of Adrian's seemed odd to her. Why do I care? She asked her self shaking her head to clear her head of the thoughts of Adrian. Instead, she recalled the make up she and Dimitri had on today's morning.

Plan C, phase two~ ignore her

The gang - Rose, Adrian, Lissa, Christian and Eddie - was hanging out at the living room. As they were joking around, "So, what about the thing we were discussing earlier guys?" Adrian asked them.

"Oh, sorry Adrian I can't. I have plenty of homework to do" Lissa told him shrugging her shoulders.

"And I can't come if Lissa doesn't come too" Eddie said since Lissa was still his charge.

"I didn't want to come from the beginning and now that Lissa won't come, I won't too" Christian said.

"Oh my! Look at the time. I need to go and study" Lissa exclaimed and after giving a quick peck to Christian, hugging Rose and waving goodbye to Adrian, she left with Eddie following behind her.

"Rose, how about we leave too?" Fire boy asked. Rose just shrugged, hiding with her guardian mask her confusion and annoyance.

"Goodbye fucker" Christian said to Adrian while getting up from his seat.

"See ya" Rose said following her charge.

"See ya 'round Ozera" Adrian said, ignoring completely Rose. That only fueled Rose's negative feelings.

When they were completely out of sight, Adrian smiled proudly to himself. He had achieved to annoy and confuse Rose Hathaway.

"So what were you guys talking about earlier ?" Rose asked Christian on their way back to his dorm.

"Huh? Nothing, Adrian just asked us yesterday to hang out with him at Court today" He answered without looking at her.

"How would y-" Rose went to say but Chris answered before she could even ask. "He would get permission from Kirova"

"Why didn't anyone of you guys told me about it?" Rose asked with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

"Adrian told us not to, he didn't want you to come with us"

"How the fuck could I not come with you, you're my charge!" she yelled, losing a bit of her self control.

Christian just shrugged and opened his room's door. Both him and Rose entered and after they changed into their pajamas, Christian lied on his bed, looking at somethong at his phone. Rose lied on her mattress, turning her back to Christian while thinking about all that happened that week.

First, she had a fight with Dimitri - verbally, not like they always fight in practice - and then, as she was walking frustrated towards Christian's room, she met Adrian. Adrian may still greeted her like he always does but that time not only he left easily, he also seemed a little distant. Two days later, she made up with Belikov and was happy but confusion took her happiness' place when she met Adrian, who acted even more distant than last time. And today, was the shittiest day of all week. Not only did she fight with Dimitri again - about what they're gonna do when she graduates - but her friends hid the fact that they might go to Court with Adrian. And lastly, Adrian completely and utterly ignored her, making her already bad mood even worse. But again... Why does she care? She should be glad that he's finally not giving her attention. However, why doesn't it feel nice?

* * *

**Plan C, phase three ~ Make her jealous**

A few days have passed and Adrian was nowhere in the Academy. He had went to Court for a meeting with Tatiana. His great aunt wanted to get him a date. Which date would only be temporary, until she found a way to bring him and Vasilissa together.

Adrian was angry when he arrived at Court and learned the real reason behind his Aunt's wish to see him. However, after he thought about it for a few minutes, he agreed. The next phase of Plan C was to make her jealous and Tatiana had just made it even more easier for him.

"So Adrian, this is Lady Avery Lazar" Queen Bitch told him and pointed to a girl with long brown hair and gray eyes. "Lady Lazar, this is my great nephew, Lord Adrian Ivashkov" she told Avery and pointed to Adrian. The girl flashed him a seductive smile. Adrian had to give it to her, she was really pretty - but no other woman would in his eyes be as beautiful as his Little Dhampir.

"Hello" Adrian said politely giving her a small fake smile.

"Lady Lazar will also be staying at Saint Vladimir's Academy since her father will be the new headmaster" Tatiana added and with that, she ended the meeting. Even more wonderful, since she would be staying there too, it'd be even more convenient for him.

* * *

"Good morning guys" Adrian greeted his friends the next day at the cafeteria with a smile.

"Hey Ivashkov" "Morning" "Good morning Adrian" "'Ey" were the greetings he got back.

In the middle of their conversation - in which Adrian talked to Rose like he usually did, confusing her once again - a voice interrupted them. "Adrian, good morning babe!" Avery said sitting right next to him.

"Hey Ave" he said and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Well Avery, these are my friends, Lissa Dragomir, Christian Ozera, Eddie Castle and L- Rose Hathaway" he introduced them to Avery, almost calling Rose 'Little Dhampir'. Old habits die hard I guess... "Guys, this is my girlfriend Avery Lazar"

Every one of them looked at him in disbelief. Christian, who was sitting on Adrian's left side leaned towards him. "Dude, I know I told you to make her jealous but you didn't have to get yourself a real girlfriend" he whispered into his ear.

"I know but my Aunt forced me to date her, so it only made it easier for me" Adrian whispered back. Christian nodded.

Just then, the bell rang and Lissa, Christian, Eddie and Rose had to go to their classes.

'What the- was that?' was what Eddie, Rose and Lissa thought about what happened then.

'Whatever' Rose thought. Little did she know that the days that would follow would be messed up...

* * *

Two weeks later...

Rose was really going mad. She had stopped seeing ghosts but the things that have been happening these days, were really driving her insane.

Firstly, she and Dimitri broke up. Dimitri thought that would be for the better - and even though Rose lost the little self control she had learned and shouted and cried, after quite a few days - a week and a half - she accepted it and made up with Dimitri (as friends only, though).

Secondly, oh how she hated that Avery bitch. To begin with, she was trying to become Lissa's best friend - and she was about to achieve it! Then, she made Christian - yes, Christian fucking Ozera - to like her by making a little bit of fun of Adrian. She also made Lissa do some unreasonable things - that even she, Rose Hathaway, didn't force her do before they left St. Vlad's. And last but not least, she was all over Adrian all the time... Wait, why does she care about the last one?

And as if those reasons weren't enough, ever since Avery came to the Academy, a lot of weird things had started to happen... For starters, a voice would push her out when she would try to get into Lissa's head to check up on her. Lissa kissed Aaron when she went to Court and didn't tell Christian - who eventually learnt it from Jill. That resulted in Lissa and Christian's break up. Which made her unable to hang out with Lissa, Eddie, or even Adrian, since Christian was still her charge. Liss had also started turning into an alcoholic, making it seem like the darkness was taking over her, which wasn't true since Rose would take the darkness. Lissa would also be mad at Rose for no reason making her even more insane.

Sighing, Rose drifted into a dreamless sleep; but not for long...

"Hey Little Dhampir" a voice said. Which of course, was Adrian's.

"What do you want Ivashkov?" she asked, pretending to be indifferent. And I say pretend to be because happiness rushed through her when Adrian called her 'Little Dhampir'. It's been long since the last time he called her that. "Tell me fast because I want to sleep" she added.

"Why are you always so difficult?" he asked her.

"Because you like me that way."

"At the moment? Not so much."

It was the kind of joking comment Adrian usually made, but just then, something about it bothered her. For some reason, she got the tiniest feeling that she suddenly wasn't as endearing to him as usual.

"I'm sure you guys have other stuff to work on. And Lissa seems pretty busy with Avery." she muttered the words without thinking, with some of the bitterness and envy she'd felt watching them the previous days lacing her tone.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Ladies and gentlemen, she admits it. You have been spying on Lissa-I knew it."

Rose looked away. "I just like to know she's okay"

"She is. Er... mostly well." Adrian frowned. "Sometimes I get this strange vibe off of her. She doesn't seem quite right or her aura will flicker a little. Never lasts long, but I still worry." Something in Adrian's voice softened. "Avery worries about her too, so Lissa's in good hands. Avery's pretty amazing."

She gave him a scathing look. "Amazing? Do you like her or something?". She hadn't forgotten Avery's comment about leaving the door unlocked for him, which she had heard the other night.

"Of course I like her. She's a great person."

"No, I mean like. Not like."

"Oh, I see," he said, rolling his eyes. "We're dealing with elementary school definitions of like.'"

"You're not answering the question."

"Well, like I said, she's a great person. Smart. Outgoing. Beautiful."

Something in the way he said "beautiful" bugged her. She averted her eyes again, playing with the blue nazar around her neck as she tried to understand her feelings. Why does she care? Adrian figured things out first.

"Are you jealous, Little Dhampir?"

She looked up at him. "No. If I was going to be jealous over you, I would have gone crazy a long time ago, considering all the girls you mess around with."

"Avery's not the kind of girl you mess around with." he said.

Again, she heard that affection in his voice, that dreaminess. It shouldn't have bothered her. She should have been glad he was interested in another girl. After all, she'd been trying to convince him to leave her alone for a very long time. But why? Why didn't it feel right?

She stood up angrily. "Look, I'm done talking to you tonight. Will you let me out of this dream? I'm not telling you where I am. And I'm not interested in hearing about how wonderful Avery is and how much better than me she is."

"Avery would never act like a little brat," he said. "She wouldn't get so offended that someone actually cares enough to check on her"

"Don't talk to me about being a brat," Rose shot back. "You're as selfish and self - centered as usual. It's always about you - even this dream is. You hold me here against my will, because it amuses you."

"Fine," he said with a cold voice "I'll end this. And I'll end everything between us. I won't be coming back."

"Good. I hope you mean it this time."

His green eyes were the last thing she saw before she woke up in her mattress.

She sat up, gasping. Her heart felt like it was breaking, and shd almost thought she might cry. Adrian was right - she had been a brat. She'd lashed out at him when it wasn't really deserved. And yet... She hadn't been able to help it. She missed Lissa, Eddie and even Adrian. And now someone else was taking her place.

* * *

A week later...

Rose and Christian were walking when they suddenly bumped into Eddie, Lissa, Adrian and sadly, Avery.

Rose nodded smiling and Eddie smiled back. Lissa, Adrian and Avery didn't even look at them. So that's how it's going to be huh?

While Rose was with Christian at his Culinary class, she tried to get into Lissa's head but the voice forced her out again.

Carefully, she replayed what had just happened with Lissa. Once again, she saw those last few moments. Blue-gray eyes staring at her, not Lissa.

Lissa hadn't pushed her out of her head; Avery had.

Avery was a spirit user.

"Oh shit."

Rose'd never seen it coming. Hell, no one had. Avery had made a good show of being an air user. Each Moroi had a very low level of control in each element. She'd just barely done enough with air to make it seem like that was her specialization. No one had questioned her further because honestly, who would have ever expected another spirit user around? And since she was out of school, she had no reason to be tested anymore or forced to demonstrate her ability. No one was there to call her on it.

The more our protagonist thought about it, the more the little signs were there. The charming personality, the way she could talk people into anything. How many of her interactions were spirit controlled? And was it possible... was it possible that Adrian's attraction had been compulsion on her part? Rose shouldn't feel happy about that, but... well, she actually did.

More to the point, what did Avery want with Lissa? Avery compelling Adrian into liking her wasn't too out there. He was good-looking and came from an important family. He was the queen's great-nephew, and although family members of the current monarch could never inherit the throne immediately afterward, he'd have a good future, one that would always keep him in the highest circles of society.

But Lissa? What was Avery's game there? What did she have to gain? Lissa's behavior all made sense now-the uncharacteristic partying, weird moods, jealousy, fights with Christian... Avery was pushing Lissa over the edge, causing her to make horrible choices. Avery was using some sort of compulsion to spin Lissa out of control, alienating her and putting her life in danger. Why? What did Avery want?

It didn't matter. The why wasn't important. The how was, as in how she was going to help her friends and as in how she could make them believe her.

However, Rose didn't have a lot of time to think about it. Why? Because after Christian's class she felt herself being pulled into Lissa's through the bond.

She gained a grip on what she saw-or rather, what Lissa saw. She was standing on the ledge of a window in some building on campus. It was nighttime. Rosr couldn't tell offhand which building it was, but it didn't matter. Lissa was on what appeared to be the sixth floor, standing there in high heels, laughing about something while the dark ground threatened below. Behind her, she heard Avery's voice.

"Lissa, be careful! You shouldn't be up there."

But it had the same double meaning that permeated everything Avery did. Even as she said those words of caution, Rose could feel a reckless drive within Lissa, something telling her that it was okay to be where she was and not to worry so much. It was Avery's compulsion. Then, Rose felt that brushing of her mind, and the annoyed voice.

You again? And Avery shoved her out once again.

Rose?

It was Lissa's voice that spoke in Rose's mind. She froze her position in the window and abruptly cut off whatever she'd been laughing about with Avery. Rosd felt Lissa's terror and confusion as she wondered if she was imagining her. She peered around the room, her eyes passing over Avery.

Avery recognized something was going on, and her face hardened. Rose felt the familiar sense of her presence in Lissa's mind and wasn't surprised when Avery tried to shove me out again.

Except-it didn't work.

Avery kicking her out in the past had always felt like an actual shove. But now, Rose used the power of Lissa and hers bond, her will and also a bit of the darkness she had pulled out of Lissa, making Avery unable to shove her out. Avery was still in Lissa's line of sight, and Rose saw those adorable blue-gray eyes go wide with shock that she couldn't control her.

Oh, Rose thought. It's on, bitch!

"Oh," Avery hissed, "you don't want to mess with me."

Didn't she?

There was a rush of heat, like someone was reaching into her mind. It was Avery, and she was doing some serious investigation of her thoughts and memories.

And then, the world around Rose dissolved. She stood in a room she didn't recognize. This place was inviting and clearly well loved. The plush couch had a quilt thrown haphazardly in its corner, as though someone-or maybe two someones-had been cuddling underneath it. And while the room wasn't messy, exactly, there were scattered objects-books, framed photos-that indicated this room was actually used and wasn't just for show.

She walked over to a small bookshelf and picked up one of the framed photos. She nearly dropped it when she saw what it was. It was a picture of Dimitri and her-but she had no memory of it. They stood arm in arm, leaning their faces together to make sure they both got in the shot. Beyond them was a city that she recognized: Saint Petersburg. She frowned. No, this was definitely a picture that couldn't exist.

She was still studying it when She heard someone walk into the room. When she set the photo back on the shelf. It was Dimitri.

He wore jeans and a casual red T-shirt that fit the lean muscles of his body perfectly. His hair was down loose and slightly damp, like he'd just gotten out of the shower. He held two mugs and chuckled when he saw her.

"Still not dressed?" he asked, shaking his head. "They're going to be here any minute."

She looked down and saw that she wore plaid flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top. He handed her the mug, and she was too stunned to do anything but take it. She peered into it-hot chocolate-and then looked up at him.

"Who... who's coming?" she asked.

"Lissa and Christian. They're coming for brunch." He gave her a puzzled look. "Are you okay?"

She looked around, again taking in the comforting room. Through a window, she saw a backyard filled with trees and flowers. Sunshine spilled through onto the carpet. She turned back to him and shook her head. "What is this? Where are we?"

His confused expression now turned into a frown. Stepping forward, he took her mug and set his and hers on the shelf. His hands rested on her hips, and she flinched "This is our house," he said, drawing her near. "In Pennsylvania."

"Pennsylvania... are we at the Royal Court?"

He shrugged. "A few miles away."

She slowly shook her head. "No... that's not possible"

"You insisted," he said with a small smile. "And none of them care. They accept it. Besides, you said we had to live near Lissa."

Rose still couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't supposed to be here. But where was she supposed to be? Lissa... something with Lissa... Then, it came to her. Lissa and Avery. She had to save Lissa from Avery. She jerked away from Dimitri, and he stared in surprise.

"What are you doing?"

"This isn't real," I said. "This is a trick. We broke up, I'm not in love with you any more" she said thinking about Adrian and her feelings about him. Seems like Avery didn't do a good investigation...

There was hurt in his deep brown eyes, "Don't you want to be with me?"

"I have to go back to Lissa..."

"Let her go," he said, approaching her again. "Let all of it go. Stay here with me-we can have everything we ever wanted, Rose. We can be together every day, wake up together every morning."

"No." she stepped further back. Lissa needed her. Lissa was trapped. With each passing second, the details about Avery were coming back to her. This was all an illusion.

"Rose?" he asked. There was so much pain in his voice. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," she said "But the things are just like I said"

And with that, she used all of her will to push herself back to Lissa, wherever she was, and tear away from this fantasy.

The effort was excruciating, but suddenly, she found myself looking back at the room at St. Vladimir's. She focused on Avery who was staring at her and Lissa. She'd fought Avery's mind trap and felt pretty smug about it - she wished she could communicate directly with Avery and make a few comments about what she thought of her and her game. But that was, for now, out of question.

Avery was visibly sweating, and when she realized she'd lost the psychic tug of war, her pretty face turned very ugly. "Fine," she said. "There are easier ways of killing you off."

Reed suddenly entered the room, looking as hostile as ever. Rose had no idea where he'd come from or how he'd known to show up right then, but he headed straight toward Lissa, hands reaching out. That open window loomed behind her, and it didn't take a genius to guess his intentions. Avery had tried to get Lissa to jump by using compulsion. Reed was just going to push her.

Rose, still seeing through Lissa's eyes, she grabbed onto Christian and told him to lead her to the room Lissa was in. Christian immediately understood that Lissa was in danger and didn't hesitate.

Lissa ducked Reed's punch, getting down from where she was. Thank God she was surprised or else her instincts wouldn't have worked so well. Rose, where are you? She thought scared.

And as if Reed wasn't enough, Simon suddenly came into the room too. They were about to hit Lissa but they stopped; she was using compulsion.

"You can't just kill me!" Lissa blurted out. "Don't you think people are going to ask questions when they find my body shoved out a window? "They won't notice," said Simon stiffly. Even the words required effort. "Not when you're resurrected. And if you can't be, then it was just a tragic accident that befell a troubled girl."

Slowly, slowly, he began breaking out of her compulsion. Her power, while still there, was weakening a little-there was a leak somewhere, and it was dripping out. Rose suspected it might be Avery's influence or simply Lissa's mental fatigue. Maybe both. A supreme look of satisfaction crossed Simon's features as he lunged forward, and then. He froze again.

A blazing gold aura lit up in Lissa's periphery. She glanced over just enough to see Adrian in the doorway. The look on his face was comical, but shocked or not, he'd picked up enough to target Simon. It was Adrian's compulsion holding the guardian in place now. Lissa squirmed away, yet again trying to keep out of that damned window's opening.

"Hold him!" Lissa cried.

Adrian grimaced. "I... can't. What the hell? It's like there's someone else there..."

"Avery," said Lissa, sparing a brief glance at the other girl. Avery's face had gone pale even for a Moroi. Her breathing was heavy, and her sweating had increased. She was fighting Adrian's compulsion. A few seconds later, Simon broke free yet again. He advanced on Lissa and Adrian, though his movements seemed sluggish.

Son of a bitch, Rose thought.

Simon launched at Adrian and Reed at Lissa. Adrian blocked a few of Simon's punches but one hit him right on his eye. As Reed was about to hit Lissa, he got surrounded by flames - without being burnt. And as Simon was about to hit Adrian again, someone blocked his hit from behind and round - house kicked him.

Rose and Christian.

After both Reed and Simon had been stopped, Reed actually had collapsed from the shock, Lissa tried to compel Simon - who was still trying to get out of Rose's grip - to stop his attack, to simply sit still. Her brief brush with Adrian's magic told her he was trying to make the guardian sleep. The conflicting messages and all that power were too much. The last of Simon's defenses fell as all those mixed messages blasted into him, creating a tidal wave of spirit. He collapsed to the floor. With all of their magic combined, the spirit users had knocked him unconscious. Lissa and Adrian turned to Avery, bracing themselves, but there was no need.

As soon as all that spirit had blasted into Simon, Avery had begun screaming. And screaming and screaming. She gripped the sides of her head, the sound of her voice horrible and grating. Lissa, Rose, Christian and Adrian exchanged glances, unsure how to handle this new development.

"For God's sake," gasped Adrian, exhausted. "How do we shut her up?"

They didn't know. Lissa considered approaching Avery and trying to help her, in spite of all that had happened. But a few seconds later, Avery grew quiet. She didn't pass out like her companions had. She just sat there, staring. Her expression no longer resembled the dazed look she'd had while wielding spirit. It was just... blank. Like there was nothing in her at all.

"Wh-what happened?" asked Lissa.

Rose had the answer "The spirit flooded from Simon into her. It fried her"

Lissa was startled "How could it go from Simon to her?"

"Because they're bonded. She's bonded to both of them"

Lissa had been too distracted while fighting for her life, but Rose'd been able to notice everyone's auras through her eyes. Avery - no longer masking hers -had possessed a gold one, just like Adrian and Lissa. Simon and Reed had had nearly identical ones, with ordinary colors - ringed in black.

They were shadow - kissed, both having been brought back from the dead by Avery.

Lissa asked no more questions and simply collapsed into Christian's arms. Why did you come she asked all of us.

"Why did you come?" she asked him.

"Are you kidding? How could I not? You guys were like a bonfire with all the spirit you were wielding. I felt it all the way across campus." He glanced around. "Man, I have a lot of questions."

"You and me both," she muttered.

"Bond, remember?" Rose told her pointing to her head.

"I miss you" Lissa said. They both smiled at each other.

Christian stayed silent, hugging his ex - girlfriend.

"Ivashkov?" Rose turned to look at Adrian. He looked at her, with love in his eyes like they always were before Avery came. "Yeah, Little Dhampir?"

" I know the last time I talked to you, I wasn't fair to you but... I'm proud of you for today" she gave him a small smile. Adrian grinned and walked toward her.

"And I'm always proud of you Little Dhampir" Adrian told her hugging her. Rose enjoyed being held in Adrian's arms, it felt... right - even though she would never admit it. She tapped him on his back, breaking away from his warm embrace. "Whatever Ivashkov"

* * *

"So that's what happened" Rose finished talking.

"Oh come on! I'm away for a little time because Alberta wanted my help and all these crazy shits happened? Not fair" Eddie complained and everyone laughed.

After some jokes and conversations - which took some hours since now it was time for curfew - they returned to their rooms.

"Fuck, I'm so tired" Rose said "Fighting off a spirit illusion is more tiresome than I thought" she groaned. Christian chuckled and turned off the lights.

"Goodnight Rosie"

"G'night Sparky" And Rose fell asleep.

* * *

**Plan C, phase four ~press for an honest answer **

As soon as she fell asleep, she found herself in one of Adrian's spirit dreams.

"Little Dhampir" he said from behind her. She turned to look at him. He was wearing an emerald green shirt - which matched his eyes, a pair of jeans and even though it seemed really casual, Rose was sure that hose clothes costed a fortune. His black eye was now non existent.

"Adrian, to what do I owe your visit?"

"I just want to ask you one thing"

"What is it?" she asked frowning.

"Do you like me?" he asked her coming closer.

"What?"

"I said, do you like me Rose?" he now was just a centimeter away from her.

"No, I don't" she said taking a step back.

Adrian moved a step forward. "Really?"

"Yes, really" she answered, taking another step back. And that was a bad move. Why? Because Adrian took a step forward and now she was between him and a tree.

"So you don't like when I do this?" he asked in a flirtatious way, tracing his fingers over Rose's cheek and neck. She shivered. Her heart was beating fast.

"... No" she answered, being stubborn.

"Or when I to this?" he whispered seductively against her neck and then kissing it, sending chills of joy down her spine.

"I... S-said... No" she answered again, her voice shaking.

"Or... This?" and with that he kissed her. He pressed his lips against hers softly and lovingly. She at first tried to break away from him but she couldn't - or basically, she could, she just didn't want to - but then, she kissed him back. Slowly the sweet, loving kiss turned into a passionate one full of a variety of feelings from both Adrian and Rose. Rose felt like her heart was about to explode, what she was feeling right now, was a first. She didn't even feel something so intense, something so... right, with Dimitri. At this moment she knew, she loved him (not that she didn't before, she was just stubborn and didn't want to admit it). Adrian was also feeling that way and even more. Finally, he had won Rose. The first girl that ever drove him crazy, the only girl he has ever loved, was now kissing him.

When they were in need of air, they broke apart. Breathing heavily, they looked into each other's eyes.

"So, do you like me now?" Adrian asked her hugging her, never losing eye contact.

"Yes" she answered looking into his beautiful eyes.

And that's how they started dating...

* * *

Remebering what they had been through, not only at the Academy but also outside of it - for example most people in the Royal Court or Adrian's father and great aunt not accepting their relationship, or the schemes they made to break them apart at the beginning - Adrian calmed down and smiled to himself. And you know why? Because even though they've been through a lot, the have overcome it all. Adrian now has a job as an art teacher back at St. Vlad's, Rose who was Lissa's Guardian for a few years is now his Guardian, he finally gets along with his dad and Nathan and Tatiana have started liking Rose and vice versa.

And nothing can ruin today. Because today he's getting married to his Little Dhampir. And all thanks to Christian's friendly advice...


End file.
